


flowers speak in my stead

by neptunian



Series: for the moon and his star (tsukkiyama week 2019) [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M, PRINCE TADASHI (crowd roars), akiteru is only briefly mentioned, display of amateur flower knowledge, gardener kei, please do not kill me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-23 14:42:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20009986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neptunian/pseuds/neptunian
Summary: Tsukishima Kei considers Prince Tadashi his friend, his equal when stripped off of all the titles, but he is loyal to said prince, and will always ever be. There's no need for Kei to say it twice for Tadashi to get it. They've always been beating around the bush, but it's how they know and understand each other better.Tsukkiyama Week 2019: Day 1 (Historical/Royalty)





	flowers speak in my stead

Prince Tadashi briskwalks towards where he assumes the sound of a sprinkler is coming from, palms hastily trying to flatten out his pants and adjust his blazer to make him look decent atleast. He whistles the moment he spots one of his castle's gardeners, the other immediately snapping his head to where the prince is currently waving his hand.

"Hi," a little breathless and weak, but given the earlier... exercise, the prince just flashed a smile to make up for it. The gardener does a double take at him head to toe—raising his brow at the thin, sliver crown adorned with topaz jewels lying dangerously diagonal on the prince's head—and nods his head. There's an amused glint on his golden eyes, and before Tadashi says anything about his attire, the other does a curtsy right after lowering his sprinkler to the ground.

"Prince! It's fancy seeing you here, on such a fine day like this one." An obnoxious greeting, Tadashi recognizes. He rolls his eyes and takes the time to straighten his crown and snort at his companion.

"What on Earth are you possibly doing right now? Quit that," the gardener finally straightens up again and picks up his sprinkler, chuckling while pushing up his glasses with his free hand. "and you know we don't talk like that."

"Oh, you dont?" Tadashi rolls his eyes at that one and crosses his arms over his chest. The gardener pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose before speaking again. "Why, such an assumption made by me is stereotypical and insulting, do you think not?"

"Kei," the Prince, in all his black suit and tie and white buttoned up glory, whines with a borderline threatening tone. "What is stuck in your ass now, a branch? Not just a mere stick up in there?"

It's the blond's turn to snort, and he turns back to the flowers he's been watering since the prince has arrived. He gently pats the flowers' petals and caresses the leaves. Tadashi pretends his eyes aren't following the way water is dripping on the gardener's slender fingers, calloused palms and flexed arm—no, he did not most definitely gulp, in addition.

"Wisterias are so pretty..." The prince forces himself to look away and up, gaze now instead stuck tracing the violet flowers decorating the arch between the castle's gate and entrance. Kei hums in thought, placing the sprinkler in his slightly rusty cartwheel and grabs his worn out gloves. "That's what you said the first time we met... and a few more times after that."

" _It's what I say to distract myself,"_ Tadashi almost admits, but years of thought filtering and control thanks to being born as a prince, he settles for: "I can't help myself. They're just so beautiful. Truly fit to symbolize nobility and longetivity."

"Speaking of nobility," The gardener, finally done with his duties, starts pushing his cartwheel to the direction of the shed, Tadashi walking behind. The prince hopes the other's chest is blossoming with pride due to his display of flower knowledge. "What's with the crown? Did you have a fancy tea party at your school today?"

Tadashi laughs, trying not so hard to sink to the ground and bang his fists on the ground. "We had international visitors today. I even wore my cape and gloves earlier, just took it off the moment I got out of the limousine. Wouldn't want it to get soiled here, would we," he flattens his pants with his palms again while walking and ends his sentence with a little chuckle. Kei chuckles as well. "Explains why you look more dishiveled than usual... you couldn't even take off your crown, huh? Too excited to see me, as always?"

Tadashi bites his lip and crosses his fingers behind his back, hoping the taller won't suddenly look behind him and see how red his face is, putting red tulips to shame.

The silence must've meant something else to the blond, so he asks another one. "Did you have to speak in English?"

" _Yes,_ " Tadashi answers in said language and he pockets both his hands, fingers still slightly crossed. " _Entire time. Horrible experience._ " His English wasn't any better than his brother's, with his heavy accent and slurs present, but it still made Kei laugh a little bit. His pride thrives off of that.

"At least you know how." His cartwheel accidentally runs over a protruding pebble in their paths, but Kei was nonchalant about it and still continued pushing. "I only know it by theory... I'm glad I'm not a prince like you."

Tadashi brushes his fingers on his crown, straightens it properly again not before feeling the jewels adorning the said accessory. He feels its presence and the responsibility it entails even more, and the crown's suddenly twice heavier than usual.

They're near the shed when Tadashi speaks up again. "Your shift's almost over, if I recall right?"

Kei nods. "Although, I'll probably be stuck here for an hour or so. Akiteru forced me to go home with him earlier." Tadashi snorts at his mental image of one of the castle's chefs clinging on one of the gardener's arms while pouting. It was a refreshing sight he'll probably never see, but fun to think about. "I have to give you something, too."

The prince's ears perk up at that, head tilting but not enough for his crown to slide off. "Oh? And what would that be?"

"Ever heard of secrets, Your Highness?"

It's the third time the gardener has shut the royalty's mouth in a day, cheeks probably not going back to their usual color soon. It's the way the blond said it in a teasing tone with a twinge of... submission—Tadashi doesn't know how to call it really, but he'd be a liar if he said it didn't make his heart pound faster and his hands sweat inside his pockets. He didn't even notice they're already inside the small, old, wooden shed, Kei putting the cartwheel away and taking off his gloves. He skims the inside of said shed, unconsciously leaning on the wooden table containing a few of the castle's gardeners' things and trinkets.

"You okay?" This time Kei tone is worried, despite his face not telling much, but it still made Tadashi tongue-tied like earlier, if not more. He inhales, nods, and lets his eyes wander at the rows and columns of different flowers.

"The surprise, Kei?" He asks, avoiding the said blond's perusing. Kei sighs and walks to wherever Tadashi was standing, the latter trying to hold his chin high and display confidence despite the nervousness and unexplainable butterfly wings flapping inside his whole nervous system.

He stops an arm length in front of Tadashi. "Now you're excited to leave?" He softly asks, voice dropping an octave.

In his sixteen years of learning castle etiquette, he doesn't know anything about how to deal with a certain Tsukishima Kei.

"No," this time he looks directly into the other's eyes and smiles, nerves suddenly less tense. "I'm just excited, silly."

Kei snorts and laughs at that, head shaking a little bit. "Step away from the table then."

Tadashi does as he's told—this time smiling due to the fact that the gardener really just commanded him and he willingly followed in a heartbeat like it isn't supposed to be the other way around—eyes following Kei as he crouches down behind the wooden table and pulls out—

"A bouquet?"

Kei, despite being a man of sharp insults and edgy behavior, cradled the said object with care and handed it to the other gently. "Yeah. I had a few free times, especially when you weren't... gracing me with your presence."

Tadashi looks up from the bouquet with an eyebrow raised. "Just say I kept bothering you, no need for euphemism after almost a year of friendship between us." He sees Kei gulp, but didn't comment on it.

"Okay then..." Kei puts his hands on his hips and smirked. "Yes, I gathered irises, wisterias and chrysanthemums for you during the times you didn't pester me."

"Ouch," the prince lets out a mock hurt expression while hugging the bouquet. "I truly am offended, and the flowers can't heal the pain in my aching chest." He even rubs his temples with his free hand for an extra flair, which sends Kei laughing.

"Whatever, Shakespeare." He wipes a tear from his eyes, and Tadashi laughs this time. "What do you think of it?" He gestures at the bouquet. It's full of violet—violet wrapping paper, violet ribbon neatly tied as a bow, violet flowers save for the white chrysanthemums—and Tadashi's pupils are probably too dilated signifying his utter adoration for the gift and the giver. He smiles like his cheeks don't hurt at all, this time hoping his red cheeks speak out the happiness and awe that's bubbling inside of him. "I like it very much."

Kei stares at the prince's face, blinking yet eyes unmoving. He only looks away and pushes his glasses up the the bridge of his nose after a few seconds. "Well? Do you know what those mean?"

Tadashi's about to say yes, but he knows how the other takes pride in his wide and deep flower knowledge, a soft and fond expression on him everytime he talks about them. "I'm not as sure as you, so do tell?"

Kei smiles genuinely before he walks away and towards the rows of daisies. "I put irises there since it symbolizes royalty and wisdom," he pauses to check the flowers before moving to the next rows, full of violets. "And wisterias for nobility, longetivity, resilience," he waves his hand dismissively. "Also... you keep saying they were pretty, and you loosely mentioned once that violet is your favorite color, so it would be a crime not to."

Tadashi's heart leaps like it's a frog jumping on water lilies, and he's hugging the bouquet tighter; very tight that he's afraid he'll flatten the flowers and destroy it in a minute. "... and the chrysanthemums?" He's surprised he managed to ask in a measly voice.

The gardener doesn't speak for a while, busying himself now with the rows of red tulips. When he seems composed enough, he responds. "Mostly it's what you give someone when you want to wish them well with new beginnings. College is just around the corner for both of us, and I wish you well for that."

Tadashi's eyebrow raises in confusion and his nose scrunches. That didn't make sense to him. Kei's not wrong—they are both on their last year of high school, and the symbolism matches if his minimal flower knowledge serves him right—but it feels like he's hesitating. Like he's afraid he'll ruin something if he says more that what he already disclosed. The prince releases a non-commital hum nonetheless, and looks back to the bouquet he's cradling.

He traces the flowers' petals, letting their symbolisms run free in his mind. The thrumming of his heart is slower, but still beats intensely it puts drums to shame. Tadashi licks his lips absentmindedly, lets Kei bustle around and instead tries to remember what else these flowers could mean. He's not doubting the other's knowledge; he's here working for the caslte because he's capable no matter how apathetic he seems. It puts Tadashi on edge sometimes, his nonchalance despite inferiority as something the royalty wants to learn. Despite born with a silver spoon on his mouth, he puts Kei on a pedestal, making him analyze and remember that the other does not ever say anything he wholeheartedly means in a straightforward fashion. It's what makes their friendship alive: Tadashi learning about not taking everything in face value while Kei learns how to be more empathetic.

When Kei finally checks the last row of flowers and he's already stared at the bouquet enough, Tadashi's eyes go wide. Something inside him clicks, and he can't help but smile once again before calling out to his friend. "Kei?" The gardener hums to let the other know he's listening, and he continues. "Don't these all symbolize devotion and intense admiration too?"

"Uh..." Sometimes he catches Kei unprepared, like the situation right now. It makes his ego inflate seeing the taller push up his glasses and let his hand stay there to try and cover up how pink his cheeks are getting. "If you put it that way, you're... not wrong." His voice softens and lightly cracks at the end, and Tadashi fondly laughs.

"Devotion, huh?" He absent-mindedly remarks. He looks at the gardener who's fiddling with his fingers.

"Like how a subject should be with his prince." Kei has a soft fond look on his face, and Tadashi hopes its not because he's staring at the flowers. Tadashi swallows and fiddles with the crown on his head again, realizes that amidst Kei's teasing tone, he's finally found the word he's been looking for: _loyalty._

Tsukishima Kei considers Prince Tadashi his friend, his equal when stripped off of all the titles, but he is loyal to said prince, and will always ever be.

There's no need for Kei to say it twice for Tadashi to get it. They've always been beating around the bush, but it's how they know and understand each other better. _Despite our differences in social status, I will always be beside or behind you, whatever the situation calls for._

"Now then," Kei stretches and shakes his hands, blush fading yet still evident. "Isn't it time for your daily tea time, my prince?" His obnoxious voice is back, and they both laugh like the teenage friends that they are, forgetting titles and riches as they look each other straight in the eyes.

"Shut up, Kei."

**Author's Note:**

> hi!
> 
> 1) i used to know NOTHING about flower meanings/symbols; i started from scratch when i researched for this fic so if it's inaccurate do tell me nicely ;__;  
> 2) the reason why tadashi doesnt have a last name here is bc royalty in japan do not have last names (just knew this when i researched for this fic, again)  
> 3) i wrote this one for weeks but im. not 100% satisfied esp that this isn't how i usually write (hey! i finally used proper capitalization n did not abuse italics!) so id understand if anyone wants to give constructive criticism ;__; however  
> 4) do tell me if u liked this fic thru kudos/comments!
> 
> say hello to me on twitter! @ranpotwt :D


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